New study shows benefits of natural treatment for osteoarthritis - February 27, 2006

A large study funded by the US National Institutes of Health has confirmed that supplements of glucosamine hydrochloride and chondroitin sulfate significantly reduce pain in people with osteoarthritis of the knee. The findings were presented ahead of publication at the annual scientific meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, in San Diego, California last year.

Lead researcher Daniel O Clegg, MD, of the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, reported the initial findings of the Glucosamine/ chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT), which involved 1,583 patients. The subjects included men and women with an average age of 58, who had had symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee for 10 years.

In the double blind study the subjects took the following supplements or medication daily: 1,500 mg glucosamine; 1,200 mg chondroitin; both supplements; the drug Celebrex; or placebos. Results of the GAIT covered the first 24 weeks of supplementation and changes were noted with WOMAC scoring — a standardized
method of evaluating the severity of osteoarthritis.

In patients with moderate to severe knee pain (those most likely to require intervention), 78% of the subjects responded significantly to the combination of glucosamine and chondroitin. The combination of these two supplements was significantly better than either supplement by itself or Celebrex — a prescription drug for osteoarthritis.